Pallet superstructure



M y 1963 R. w. KENYON ETAL 3,091,195

PALLET SUPERSTRUCTURE Filed April '7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ralph W. K en yon Dan A. Regan INVENTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. W. KENYON ETAL PALLET SUPERSTRUCTURE Fig.3

w s R 1W m 0 r fl m 5 M, K, 4 2 R m A, 1/ MA n W x m m n a 4m 2 M /5 RD u M l 1 v 2,. B 65%. 2 4 w HUM aim 2 I6 A 2 9 v 5 U K 2 w /V v 3 1 I 9 i l 2 May 28, 1963 Filed April 7, 1961 United States Patent 3,091,195 PALLET SUPERSTRUCTURE Ralph W. Kenyon, 1201 Stassen Way, and Dan A. Regan, 902 Crescent Drive, both of Grandview, Wash. Filed Apr. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 101,416 2 Claims. (Cl. 10853) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pallet superstructures and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means whereby a plurality of pallets, loaded with softpackaged products, may be stacked or tiered with safety.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide an improved superstructure of the aforementioned character which may be expeditiously secured for use on a conventional wooden pallet without altering or modifying same structurally.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a superstructure of the character described which will permit the entire top of the pallet to be utilized for receiving the load.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pallet superstructure of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing an improved superstructure embodying the present invention mounted on a loaded pallet;

FIGURE 2 is a view in top plan;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through the lower portion of the device and on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on an enlarged scale through an upper portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on an enlarged scale through another upper portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG URE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one of the frame units; and

FIGURE 8 is a detail view in perspective of the removable tie rod.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference numeral 9 designates generally a conventional wooden pallet of suitable dimensions. The pallet 9 includes the usual intermediate and outer stringers 10 and 11, respectively, mounted between transverse deck boards 12 and bottom boards 13.

The embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a pair of duplicate side frames of suitable metal which are designated generally by reference numeral 14. The side frames 14 include base bars 15 of angle iron which are secured longitudinally on the lower portions of the sides of the pallet 9. The vertical legs or flanges 16 of the angle bars 15 are apertured, as indicated at 17, to accommodate nails for securing said bars on the stringers 11 of the pallet 9. The horizontal legs 18 of the angle bars 15 are engaged beneath the side portions of the pallet 9.

The frames 14 further include tubular square posts 19 having their lower end portions welded or otherwise suit- 3,091,195 Patented May 28, 1963 ably afiixed to the bars 15 adjacent the ends thereof. Aflixed horizontally to the upper end portions of the posts 19 are top bars or rails 20 of angle iron which parallel the bars 15. Inclined braces 21 of angle iron extend between the members 15 and 20.

Afiixed to the lower portions of the posts 19, adjacent to but spaced from the bars 15, are angle brackets 22. The brackets 22 rest on the stringers 11 of the pallet 9 between the adjacent deck boards 12. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the brackets 22 are inwardly and downwardly inclined.

Afiixed to the inner sides of the top bars or rails 20, at an intermediate point, are downwardly offset lugs or ears 23 of suitable metal. The cars 23 are apertured, as indicated at 24, for receiving the downturned hooks 25 on the ends of a removable transverse tie rod 26.

It is thought that the use of the superstructure will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The load on the pallet is indicated at 27. Briefly, to install the device on the loaded pallet 9, the bars 15 are engaged longitudinally with the lower longitudinal side portions of said pallet with the brackets 22 engaged with the tops of the side stringers 11 between the adjacent deck boards 12. Nails are then driven into the stringers 11 through the apertures 17 for securing the units 14 on the pallet. The tie rod 26 is then connected to the ears 23. It will thus be seen that the loaded pallets may be transported to a storage warehouse where the superstructure may be installed, if needed. Or, if desired, the superstructure may be installed before the pallet is loaded. The construction and arrangement, it will be observed, is such that the entire top surface of the pallet is free and unobstructed to receive the load. When the loaded pallets are stacked or tiered as, for example, for temporary storage the base bars 15 on the upper pallets rest longitudinally on the rails 20 on the lower pallet. Most of the weight of the load is transmitted to the stringers 11 through the angle brackets 22 resting thereon. As the loaded pallets are stacked, the weight causes the angle iron bracing to tighten and stabilize the superstructure. Of course, the tie rod 26 prevents the upper end of the frames 14 from spreading in an obvious manner. The frames or units 14 are interchangeable and, if desired, may be mounted on the front and rear of the pallet 9 rather than on the sides thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. For example, the braces 21 may be eliminated, if desired.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A container comprising a pallet forming the base of the container, a pair of parallel side frames overlapping and connected to opposite sides of the pallet, said pallet including a pair of longitudinally extending spaced stringers which are rectangular in cross section and connected by spaced transversely extending deck boards on top of the stringers, said deck boards having the outer ends thereof terminating flush with the outer edges of the stringers, each side frame including a member L- shaped in cross section extending substantially the entire length of one of said stringers and surrounding its lower outer corner whereby the one stringer is positioned on top of the L-member, a pair of spaced vertical posts secured to the outer side of said L-member, each post being orientated so as to correspond with a space between a pair of adjacent spaced deck boards, a flat laterally extending projection on each post slightly narrower than said space and projecting into said space to overlap said one References Cited in the file of this patent 2222s; enemi s-2s :sz s isiis a iss? UNITED e 1 I p e e su e posed loads, and means extending between and releasably 2,686,645 i e 1954 connecting the upper ends of the side frames. 5 2,969,948 Hlggms 1961 2. The structure of claim '1 wherein said fiat projection is inwardly and downwardly inclined -at a slight angle FOREIGN PATENTS -to the horizontal. 708,243 Great Britain .-,----v-.--- May 5, 1954 

1. A CONTAINER COMPRISING A PALLET FORMING THE BASE OF THE CONTAINER, A PAIR OF PARALLEL SIDE FRAMES OVERLAPPING AND CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PALLET, SAID PALLET INCLUDING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SPACED STRINGERS WHICH ARE RECTANGULAR IN CROSS SECTION AND CONNECTED BY SPACED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING DECK BOARDS ON TOP OF THE STRINGERS, SAID DECK BOARDS HAVING THE OUTER ENDS THEREOF TERMINATING FLUSH WITH THE OUTER EDGES OF THE STRINGERS, EACH SIDE FRAME INCLUDING A MEMBER LSHAPED IN CROSS SECTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF ONE OF SAID STRINGERS AND SURROUNDING ITS LOWER OUTER CORNER WHEREBY THE ONE STRINGER IS POSITIONED ON TOP OF THE L-MEMBER, A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICAL POSTS SECURED TO THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID L-MEMBER, EACH POST SEING ORIENTED SO AS TO CORRESPOND WITH A SPACE BETWEEN A PAIR OF ADJACENT SPACED DECK BOARDS, A FLAT LATERALLY EXTENDING PROJECTION ON EACH POST SLIGHTLY NARROWER THAN SAID SPACE AND PROJECTING INTO SAID SPACE TO OVERLAP SAID ONE STRINGER, MEANS CONNECTING THE UPPER ENDS OF THE POSTS TOGETHER, SAID MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SUPERIMPOSED LOADS, AND MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND RESEASABLY CONNECTING THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SIDE FRAMES. 